Many people forget that Russia did most of the fighting to defeat Nazi Germany
losing over 17 million people as compared to America's loses of 400,000.
A lot these Russian losses were the result of the shameful fact that America and
England broken their solemn promises to open up a second front in Europe by 1943
at the latest. The refusal of many western
states to honor the Russian dead by failing to appear at this solemn event
represents a dangerous insult to the Russian people and the millions of Russians
who died in World War II. It will not be forgotten. Thus,
there is all the more reason to end the dangerous escalation of tensions
produced by America's actions in Ukraine.
(See our report.)
Fellow citizens of Russia,
Dear veterans,Distinguished guests,Comrade soldiers and seamen, sergeants and sergeant majors, midshipmen
and warrant officers,Comrade officers, generals and admirals,I congratulate you all on the 70th Anniversary
of Victory in the Great Patriotic War!Today, when we mark this sacred anniversary, we once again appreciate
the enormous scale of Victory over Nazism. We are proud that it was our fathers
and grandfathers who succeeded in prevailing over, smashing and destroying that
dark force.
Hitler's reckless adventure became a tough lesson for the entire world
community. At that time, in the 1930s, the enlightened Europe failed to see
the deadly threat in the Nazi ideology.Today, seventy years later, the history calls again to our wisdom
and vigilance. We must not forget that the ideas of racial supremacy
and exclusiveness had provoked the bloodiest war ever. The war affected almost
80 percent of the world population. Many European nations were enslaved
and occupied.
The Soviet Union bore the brunt of the enemy's attacks. The elite Nazi forces
were brought to bear on it. All their military power was concentrated against
it. And all major decisive battles of World War II, in terms of military power
and equipment involved, had been waged there.And it is no surprise that it was the Red Army that, by taking Berlin
in a crushing attack, hit the final blow to Hitler's Germany finishing the war.Our entire multi-ethnic nation rose to fight for our Motherland’s
freedom. Everyone bore the severe burden of the war. Together, our people made
an immortal exploit to save the country. They predetermined the outcome of World
War II. They liberated European nations from the Nazis.Veterans of the Great Patriotic War, wherever they live today, should
know that here, in Russia, we highly value their fortitude, courage
and dedication to frontline brotherhood.Dear friends,The Great Victory will always remain a heroic pinnacle in the history
of our country. But we also pay tribute to our allies in the anti-Hitler
coalition.We are grateful to the peoples of Great Britain, France and the United
States of America for their contribution to the Victory. We are thankful
to the anti-fascists of various countries who selflessly fought the enemy
as guerrillas and members of the underground resistance, including in Germany
itself.We remember the historical meeting on the Elbe, and the trust and unity
that became our common legacy and an example of unification of peoples –
for the sake of peace and stability.
It is precisely these values that became the foundation of the post-war world
order. The United Nations came into existence. And the system of the modern
international law has emerged.These institutions have proved in practice their effectiveness
in resolving disputes and conflicts.However, in the last decades, the basic principles of international
cooperation have come to be increasingly ignored. These are the principles that
have been hard won by mankind as a result of the ordeal of the war.We saw attempts to establish a unipolar world. We see the strong-arm
block thinking gaining momentum. All that undermines sustainable global
development.The creation of a system of equal security for all states should become
our common task. Such system should be an adequate match to modern threats,
and it should rest on a regional and global non-block basis. Only then will we
be able to ensure peace and tranquility on the planet.Dear friends,We welcome today all our foreign guests while expressing a particular
gratitude to the representatives of the countries that fought against Nazism
and Japanese militarism.Besides the Russian servicemen, parade units of ten other states will
march through the Red Square as well. These include soldiers from Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Their forefathers
fought shoulder to shoulder both at the front and in the rear.
These also include servicemen from China, which, just like the Soviet Union,
lost many millions of people in this war. China was also the main front
in the fight against militarism in Asia.
Indian soldiers fought courageously against the Nazis as well.
Serbian troops also offered strong and relentless resistance
to the fascists.
Throughout the war our country received strong support from Mongolia.These parade ranks include grandsons and great-grandsons of the war
generation. The Victory Day is our common holiday. The Great Patriotic War was
in fact the battle for the future of the entire humanity.Our fathers and grandfathers lived through unbearable sufferings,
hardships and losses. They worked till exhaustion, at the limit of human
capacity. They fought even unto death. They proved the example of honour
and true patriotism.We pay tribute to all those who fought to the bitter for every street,
every house and every frontier of our Motherland. We bow to those who perished
in severe battles near Moscow and Stalingrad, at the Kursk Bulge
and on the Dnieper.We bow to those who died from famine and cold in the unconquered
Leningrad, to those who were tortured to death in concentration camps,
in captivity and under occupation.
We bow in loving memory of sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers,
husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, comrades-in-arms, relatives and friends –
all those who never came back from war, all those who are no longer with us.A minute of silence is announced.Minute of silence.Dear veterans,You are the main heroes of the Great Victory Day. Your feat predestined
peace and decent life for many generations. It made it possible for them
to create and move forward fearlessly.
And today your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren live up
to the highest standards that you set. They work for the sake of their country's
present and future. They serve their Fatherland with devotion. They respond
to complex challenges of the time with honor. They guarantee the successful
development, might and prosperity of our Motherland, our Russia!Long live the victorious people!Happy holiday!Congratulations on the Victory Day!Hooray!